


This Charming Man

by SamuelJames



Category: History Boys (2006), Hustle
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-04
Updated: 2010-11-04
Packaged: 2017-10-13 01:44:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/131428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelJames/pseuds/SamuelJames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Billy is looking for an easy target to rob in a hotel bar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Charming Man

**Author's Note:**

> Title: This Charming Man  
> Characters: Stuart Dakin and Billy Bond (aka William Brady because Billy is a con man)  
> Rating: PG-13  
> Notes: Written for Walks Into A Bar where my chosen character Dakin walks into a bar and meets Billy Bond from Hustle.  
> Summary: Billy is looking for an easy target to rob in a hotel bar.  
> Disclaimer: The History Boys and Hustle belong to their respective creators. No copyright infringement is intended.  
> Title Note: The title is of course ~~stolen from~~ inspired by The Smiths.  
>  Archiving Information: Please do not archive elsewhere on the net.

"Good to meet you again, Tom, you too, Elaine. I'll get the revised contract couriered over to your office." Stuart Dakin shakes hands with each of them before leaving the restaurant. He walks through reception to the hotel bar. He's just picked up the bill for the expensive lunch with his new client but he'll easily make it back in fees if they need him as much as they say they will. Stuart takes his phone off silent, no messages or missed calls. Knowing Don he's probably still working on something even though he's just signed a contract to have his first novel published.

Don would be happy with a meal at Pizza Express but getting published is a big deal and Stuart wants to treat his partner. He can easily afford a night in a posh hotel. The waitress flirts a little when he orders a glass of wine and he flashes her a smile. It makes her blush, nice to know he's still got it even if he did have a moment of panic last week when he discovered his first grey hairs.

Billy surveys the hotel bar. There's two slightly tipsy women chatting away and paying little attention to their bags but they're hardly a challenge. There's an older gentleman who takes out a wad of notes to pay his bill but Billy is a grifter, he doesn't mug pensioners no matter how wealthy they might be. He eyes up another guy, maybe late 30s in a smart suit. He's got his Blackberry on the table in front of him and though Billy can't judge the watch from this distance it looks flashy which often means expensive. He's got his foot in the door with Danny and the others but he could have messed up that racing con and he feels like he still needs to prove himself. He chooses the empty table beside his target. "Is the food any good here?"

"Haven't tried the bar food. Ate in the restaurant though, very nice." Stuart's phone rings. "Excuse me." He smiles when he sees who's calling. "Hey, Don, I'm all done for the day... It's not too far from the station. No rush, we've got all night... I've had lunch but I'm sure you could get something, splash out on room service. I'm checked in already so just give me a shout when you get here... See you soon."

Billy looks at the menu, pretending he's not listening to every word. He picks up on the name Don. This will make things easier. He's not above using flirting as a distraction

Stuart finishes on the phone as the waitress arrives with his drink. The guy at the next table orders a whiskey and picks up the paper. He's probably waiting for someone too. There's a loud tut.

"The usual good news is it?" Stuart asks.

Billy gestures to the newspaper, "this is ridiculous."

"Sorry."

"Have you read the Times today? To cover the budget deficit they're going to increase taxes for the wealthy."

"Really?" Stuart holds out his hand, "Stuart Dakin, tax lawyer."

"Billy B..."

"That a hip-hop name?"

"Sorry, it's William Brady but I've always been called Billy. I didn't always have suits this nice. William was considered a bit posh for our estate."

Stuart thinks of the estate he grew up on in Sheffield. "I couldn't always afford tailored suits either but hard work got me where I am today."

"I guess being a tax lawyer you know a thing or two about hiding money away?"

Stuart shakes his head. "I find solid investments for my clients, advise them on wealth management but I don't break the law."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I earn money because I work hard at a profession that I chose because it could make me wealthy. I think I'll go wait in reception."

When Stuart stands Billy does too grabbing his arm and kind of spinning him around. He smiles, "sorry. I wasn't accusing. I was trying to make a joke. I haven't been out very long and well I'm not good at chatting up men. Finish your drink at least."

"You were trying to chat me up?"

Billy nods.

Stuart casually folds his arms checking something. "Wallet."

"What?"

"I'd like my wallet back."

Billy knows panic will give him away so he shrugs, "don't know what you're talking about, mate."

"I'm not your mate, give me my wallet back now."

"I didn't take it."

"Well nobody else has pushed themselves up against me in the last few minutes. For a supposedly shy, recently out man you had no problem getting up close and personal. You showed no sign of interest till I tried to leave and the disarming smile thing, I was doing that when you were still in school."

Billy throws the wallet on the table, almost sulkily. "It's not fair."

"What's not fair is me working hard for what I've got and you thinking you can come along and take it."

"Are you going to call the police?"

Stuart looks at him for a moment, he really should but it would ruin his plans. "No, I'd have to give a statement and you don't deserve any more of my time. Fifty quid please.

"No way man."

"Call it compensation."

"It's my money."

"Well, Billy, or whoever you actually are you didn't care about whose money was whose a few minutes back."

Billy hands him a twenty, "it's all I've got. I only target those who can afford it and you were my first today."

"Very noble of you, you'd be the poor in this Robin Hood scenario I suppose. Fine just go."

Stuart pockets his wallet and checks that he still has his Blackberry and keys. It was lucky he noticed, wouldn't be much of a treat to ask Don here and then make him pay too.

Outside Billy smiles with relief. It could have gone badly wrong. He'll have to be more careful in future. Walking down towards The Strand he hails a cab. His hand closes around the notes in his pocket as he tells the driver where he's going. It hadn't been as bad a day as he made out and the two successful lifts he managed earlier will help while Albert's out looking for a mark. Twenty isn't much of a loss. Considering the alternatives he knows he got off lightly.


End file.
